Technology is No Substitute for Effective Communication, Trust and Leadership Development
By: Kelly Graves “The Corporate Therapist™”

Stage of Team Development

Forming

Storming

Norming

Performing

Typical Feelings and Thoughts in this Stage

In this initial “honeymoon” stage, the team structure is coming together, so conflict is usually avoided at all costs. Team members need to be accepted into the group so they tend to be reflective about tasks and each other.

In this testing-each-other stage competition and conflict are common because differences in organizational processes and interpersonal conflicts will surface. When the focus of the team changes from problem identification to problem solving, the group grows beyond this stage.

In this stage, team members break from preconceived ideas, opinions and paradigms. Trust and cohesion become the norms. Leadership is shared. Conflict gives way to sharing and creative thinking. Members of the group are happy to be part of the team.

In this stage, the foundation is one of positive interpersonal relationships, inter-dependence, flexibility, adaptability and high productivity. This team has mastered the art and science of their work and now adds great value to the organization and each other.

Observable Behaviors

• Excitement, anticipation and optimism.
• Suspicion, fear and anxiety about the job ahead.
• Pride in being chosen for the group.
• Politeness.
• Guarded; watchful.
• Sporadic participation.
• First agreements.
• Discussion of symptoms and problems not relevant to the task; difficulty indentifying relevant problems.
• Complaints about the organization.
• Impatience with discussion.

• Resistance to task.
• Fluctuations in attitude about the team.
• Do I agree with the team’s approach to accomplishing the task?
• Arguing among members.
• Defensiveness and competition.
• Polarizations and pecking orders on teams.
• Attacking leader.
• Questioning wisdom of the other team members.
• Interpersonal relationships

• Sense of belonging to team.
• Personal accomplishments.
• I have freedom to be myself and express my ideas.
• Ability to express criticism constructively
• Relief that it seems that everything is going to work out.

• High personal development and creativity.
• Involvement with team inspires the best in individuals.
• Understanding of each other’s strengths and weaknesses leads to high personal accountability Constructive self-change.
• Flexibility, versatility and midcourse corrections.
• Excited participation, enthusiasm and volunteerism.

What the Team Needs During this Stage

• Team mission and purpose.
• Team membership. Team goals and objectives.
• Effective meetings and facilitation.

• Effective listening.
• Giving and receiving feedback.
• Leadership clarification.

• Procedures established and practiced in problem solving, leadership, resolving conflict.
• Open, honest communication; practicing communication skills.
• Free participation and risk taking.
• Unified mission and purpose.
• Strong team identity.
• Management coaching.
• Leadership skills training.

• Expressions of pride in team’s unique accomplishments.
• Ability to work through group problems.
• Management and creative use of team resources.
• Coaching and counseling.
• Measuring performance on an ongoing basis.
• Refinements on how successfully focus on internal and external customers.

Leadership Style Required to Achieve Success

Directing:

• Telling.
• Guiding.
• Establishing high and low task relationship involvement.
• Boundaries.

Coaching:

• Providing guidance.
• Clarifying. High task and high relationship involvement.
• Leader consults with followers, but leader makes final decision.

Supporting:

• Committing.
• Participating.
• Encouraging. Listening.
• Collaborating.
• High relationship and low task involvement.
• Asks for contributions from followers.

Delegation:

• Observing.
• Monitoring.
• Fulfilling.
• Leader sets goals; team accomplishes.